Shane Mosley training in Las Vegas, Nev. (Photo: Chris Robinson)
By Chris Robinson
On Nov. 21, from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nev., one of the biggest fights of the year will go down when four-division world champion Miguel Cotto and former junior middleweight titlist Saul Alvarez face off on HBO pay per view.
It’s the type of fight that has had several varying opinions thus far and we caught up with a man who has been in the ring with each man for some insight.
Three-division world champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley is back to training himself, with an Aug. 29 rematch with Ricardo Mayorga on his plate, and he took a minute prior to a recent session to analyze Cotto vs. Canelo.
Mosley dropped a unanimous decision to Cotto (40-4, 33 KO’s) in a competitive fight in November of 2007 and suffered a more one-sided loss to Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KO’s) in May of 2012, although he did have his moments during that particular decision defeat.
“Both guys are great fighters,” Mosley told Hustle Boss. “I’m excited to see that fight. Those are two of the top fighters who will sit there and fight. Miguel Cotto is very experienced. Canelo is a young guy but he’s also very ring savvy. Very sharp, fast, and strong. Cotto is very sharp, fast, and strong. Deceivingly fast.
“I think that’s going to be the edge for Cotto, the experience and he’s been in there with a lot of people,” Mosley continued. “I think Cotto has more physical strength than Canelo does. Canelo has good in-power too. Cotto knows how to move his body to the ground.”
Cotto made the decision to link up with Freddie Roach in 2013 and he has shined thus far, with three stirring stoppages over Delvin Rodriguez, Sergio Martinez, and Daniel Geale.
The Martinez match in particular, in which Cotto dropped the Argentinean three times in the first round before hammering him out and forcing him to retire after the tenth frame, particularly stands out to Mosley.
“I’ve seen the difference; his punching power,” Mosley explained. “For him to knock down Sergio Martinez the way he did in the first round, I was shocked. I heard that Sergio was injured before the fight, but still, for somebody to be fighting that way for so long and to be so big, and to be able to knock a guy down like that, it’s remarkable.
“He found Freddie Roach and he’s happy with Freddie Roach,” Mosley added. “He’s strong and looking better than ever. He found that rejuvation and he’s confident too.”
Check below for the full one on one with Mosley.
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